The uThukela leader of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has been arrested for participating in, leading and instigating the violence and road closures around Ladysmith. Police were notified to the N11, on Monday morning, 12 July, after a group of protestors closed off the N11 near Driefontein Road. Police immediately reacted to the section of the road that was closed off by burning tyres and branches. Police confiscated two vehicles and arrested three people, one being the uThukela leader of the ANCYL.
“The criminal and terrorist actions of the ANCYL leader have contributed to the destruction of property, massive damage to the economy and the loss of jobs in the uThukela District. He must face the harshest consequences that the law can impose. Clearly, he is a very dangerous criminal who cares nothing about the thousands of poor South Africans who will have lost their jobs as a result of his criminality and that poor South Africans will, in the months and years to come, face the consequences of unemployment and hunger,” said Alf Lees, MP from uThukela Constituency Head.
The case has allegedly been transferred to the provincial SAPS and the DA is concerned that the case may not receive the immediate and full consideration that it deserves. “I will write to Lieutenant General Khehla Sithole, the National Police Commissioner, to request that the case against the ANCYL leader be handled by a senior police investigator and that it be prioritised to ensure that, if there is sufficient evidence, the police do everything in their power to ensure that he is convicted and sentenced to the maximum jail sentence possible,” said Lees. The ANC cadre is the Alfred Duma Municipality supply chain manager and ANC Youth League leader. Lees added: “It is astounding given the massive destruction and criminality during the last week which still continues in some places in KZN this week, and the fact that the ANCYL leader was arrested nine days ago (12 July), that the ANC has been silent and has not condemned the criminal actions of its ANCYL leader presumably because he is a senior ANC cadre. By now one would have expected the ANC to have publicly distanced itself from the ANC member and his actions, as well as cancelling his ANC membership. Instead of the case against the ANCYL being widely publicised as action taken, it has been kept quiet. Unfortunately a logical conclusion may well be that the ANC leaders in KZN may have supported the criminality and economic destruction of the past weeks.”
